Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 1

Ancient Songs, Ballads, & Dance Tunes, Sheet Music & Lyrics - online book

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	REIGN OF ELIZABETH.                                                171
	THE GIPSIES' ROUND. The tune from Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book. Whenever gipsies are introduced in old plays, we find some allusions to their singing, dancing, or music, and generally a variety of songs to be sung by them. In Middleton's Spanish Gipsy, Roderigo, being invited to turn gipsy, says— " I can neither dance, nor sing; but if my pen From my invention can strike music times, My head and brains are yours." In other words, " I think I can invent tunes, and therefore have one qualification for a gipsy, although I cannot dance, nor sing." By Round is here meant a country dance. Country dances were formerly danced quite as much in rounds as in parallel lines; and in the reign of Elizabeth were in favour at court, as well as at the May-pole. In the Talbot papers, Herald's College, is a letter from the Earl of Worcester to the Earl of Shrewsbury, dated Sep. 19th, 1602, in which he says, " We are frolic here in court; much dancing in the privy chamber of country dances before the Queen's Majesty, who is much pleased therewith."—(Lodge, iii. 577.) • Boldly.
	THE LEGEND OF SHI GUY.
	This ballad was entered to Richard Jones on Jan. 5th, 1591-2, as "A plesantc songe of the valiant actes of Guy of Warwicke, to the tune of Was ever man so' tost in love." The copy in the Bagford Collection (p. 19) is entitled " A pleasant song of the valiant deeds of chivalry achieved by that noble knight, Sir Guy of Warwick, who, for the love of fair Phillis, became a hermit, and died in a cave of